People and Places

Ernie Csiszar, the Romania-born former South Carolina regulator who two years ago was named president and chief executive officer of the then newly-formed Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, resigned from PCI effective Sept. 30.

Csiszar indicated that he plans to pursue a variety of personal and professional interests. “I’ve been a lawyer, a college professor, an investment banker, an insurance company CEO, a regulator and a trade association executive,” said Csiszar. “And I’ve enjoyed each phase of my career. I plan to continue to work within the financial and insurance industries. I leave PCI in the capable hands of a strong board and a talented staff.”

PCI has launched a national search for a new CEO. In the meantime, June Holmes, PCI’s current chief operating officer, will serve as the interim CEO.

PCI was created in January 2004 through the merger of the Alliance of American Insurers and the National Association of Independent Insurers.

Independent Agent magazine. Prior to joining the IIABA, Evans worked for a major insurance company, a national employee benefits consulting firm and as co-founder of his own firm. He replaces Jeff Myers, who has decided to pursue other opportunities.

The Allstate Corporation announced a leadership transition, which will occur over the next 18 months. Edward M. Liddy, currently chairman and chief executive officer, plans to step down as CEO at the end of 2006. Thomas J. Wilson, currently president and chief operating officer, who has been elected to the Allstate board of directors, will succeed him at that time as CEO. Wilson will retain the role and title of president. The chief operating officer role will not be filled.

Wilson joined Allstate in 1995 as vice president of finance and was elected chief financial officer later that year. He was appointed president of Allstate Financial in 1999 and president of Allstate Protection, the company’s largest business unit, in 2002. He assumed his current role of president and COO in May 2005.

Liddy will remain chairman until his retirement in the spring of 2008. Liddy, who will be 62 at the time of his retirement in 2008, has served as chairman and chief executive officer since January 1999. He previously served as president and chief operating officer from 1994 to 1998.

The Main Street America Group’s president and chief executive officer, Tom Van Berkel, has also been elected chairman of its operating companies’ boards. In June 2001, he was elected president and chief operating officer and a member of its board. Van Berkel was elected chief executive officer in January 2002.

Gov. Joe Manchin has appointed a Charleston man director of the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency. Ted Cheatham took over the post with 15 years of executive and management experience in the health care and insurance industries. Most recently, Cheatham was with Unisys, a technology company.

The state’s last PEIA director, Tom Susman, left the job in July 2004 to return to the private sector. Since then, there have been three interim co-directors: Keith Huffman, Jason Haught and Gloria Long.

Thomas D. England is now senior vice president with Key Risk Management Services in Greensboro, N.C., a workers’ compensation subsidiary of W.R. Berkley Corp. He will be responsible for client services provided by the firm’s Alternative Risk Services division and direct development of new products offerings. He brings 30 years experience in self-insured claims administration. Most recently, he was with a large third party administrator.

American International Group Inc. named a former Citigroup president and chief operating officer, Robert B. Willumstad, as chairman, effective Nov. 1. He succeeds Frank G. Zarb, who has served as interim chairman since April 2005. Zarb remains an AIG director and will continue to serve as a non-voting member of each standing committee of the board.

Willumstad was elected to the AIG board in January 2006. He retired in 2005 as president and chief operating officer of Citigroup Inc. Prior to the formation of Citigroup, he was chairman and chief executive officer of Travelers Group Consumer Financial Services.

Don Bailey has been named chief executive officer of Willis North America. Bailey, currently Willis North America’s chief operating officer, succeeds Mario P. Vitale, who is joining Zurich. Concurrent with his promotion, Bailey joins the Willis Partners Group, the company’s management committee.

Bailey joined Willis in March 2003 to lead the firm’s North American Executive Risks Practice, and has since served as CEO of the North American large account practice. He was named COO of Willis North America in March 2006.

Zurich has named Mario P. Vitale as chief executive officer of its Global Corporate North America operations, effective Oct. 2. In this newly created position, Vitale will report to Geoff Riddell, CEO of Zurich Global Corporate, and will work closely with Axel P. Lehmann, CEO of Zurich North America Commercial, to ensure optimal alignment of the two business divisions. Pete Connors, president of Zurich Global Energy, and John Kelm, president of Global Corporate Customer, North America, will report to Vitale, who will be based in New York City. Vitale joins Zurich from Willis Group.

Cora Barran has been elected president of the Insurance Marketing Communications Association for the 2006-2007 year. Barran is advertising manager for Farmers Insurance Group in Los Angeles, where she oversees national brand and local agent co-op advertising. Barran joined IMCA in 1999 and has been a board member since 2003.

In addition, Ron Rice, events marketing manager for Russell Investment Group and IMCA president from 2004-2006, will serve as immediate past president for IMCA.

Other IMCA appointments for the 2006-2007 year include:

Richard Look, director of communications, Venture Programs, as executive vice president; Mitch Dunford, CEO and publisher, Insurance Journal, as vice president; Linda Collins, corporate communications manager, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., as secretary/treasurer and; Reg Pierce, ARM, managing partner, InMarket Partners, as past president at large.

Also elected to the board of directors are: Darin Barney, MiniCo; Gregg Calestini, Mercator Risk Services; Jack Makuch, Allstate Insurance; Rob Martin, The Co-operators General Insurance Company; Madeline Johnson, Cincinnati Insurance Companies; Randy Clinger, Swiss Re; Peter Broadbent, Wahlstrom Group; Mimi Keller, TM Advertising; Gary Kimball, Kimball Communications; and Tom Wetzel, Wetzel & Associates.